Sheltering Demons Volume One
by Ammes
Summary: Naruto and Gaara both live in Konoha. This is the story of their childhood. It's a tad AU.
1. The Melody Of Birth And Creation

Alright, here's my first official Naruto fic, not like I haven't TRIED to complete and post them I'm just...lazy, LOL.

It's back up again. My account had been banned (not for this fanfic though) so here I am...revived.

Thanks to Erin for being my beta with all of her bitching...makes the fic so good. :)

Please note this is a slightly AU fic. Some things to note is that the sand trio lives in Konoha, as well as my own personal take on the events pre-series, during the series and post-series in this little fanfic world.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or setting, because if I did, this would BE the manga. Alas, we must all bow to Kishimoto instead.

Do watch for possible spoilers in Volume II and beware of shounen-ai couplings as well as het couplings. Also, possible yaoi scenes, it being rated R and all.

Sheltering Demons

Volume I: Childhood

Chapter One: The Melody of Birth and Creation

By: Akirafan

The crystal sky lit up with shining stars, the cool breeze ever so lightly coming through the living room window. Uzumaki Keitaro was relaxing on his couch, waiting for dinner to be ready with his eyes closed. A knock at the front door interrupted his reverie. He stood up, his tired bones protesting as he answered. "Hello?"

"We're sorry to interrupt, Uzumaki-san, but this is an emergency."

Keitaro's expression grew serious. "What is it?"

"A demon fox is attacking our village...it has nine-tails...we're...we're losing. Please come, Uzumaki-sama!" The man bowed low.

"Ah I -" Keitaro was cut off by his lovely, very pregnant wife entering the living room.

"Keitaro, dinner's read-" Her voice cut off as she noticed the visitors at the door.

Keitaro's sigh was so loud it could probably be heard around the world. He walked over to his wife and hugged her gently, placing a soft kiss on her lips. "Sierra, I have an emergency to attend to...I promise, I'll come back and our son will be born then. Sierra...I love you."

It took all the strength in the world to let go of her before taking the parchment, signing it and he walked out the door, prepared to face the dangers ahead.

Sierra sighed as she watched her husband go. She was used to it, sadly, and went to enjoy their meal in peace before she had to clean it up. Once the meal was consumed, she cleared the table and washed the dishes before taking up a broom and dust rag to begin her evening cleaning ritual.

A long, loud groan filled the small home as Uzumaki Sierra's contractions took over her thoughts. The sweeping and light dusting she had been attempting to do had to be dropped as the blonde stumbled to her bed and lay down, exhausted, and used the pillows to prop herself in a semi-sitting position. She closed her eyes. _Oh Keitaro...our baby is coming now._ Sweat beaded on her brow, the room gradually getting warmer as the contraction set in, the intervals becoming shorter and shorter.

Sierra's back arched as another wave of pain was sent through her body. She looked around the sparsely decorated room, wondering why she hadn't thought to get a midwife to help her. _Keitaro, why can't you be here now?_

A scream escaped her throat as the water broke. The amount of pain she was in was nothing like she had imagined and the warnings never mentioned this kind of pain! Had she looked between her legs, she would have noticed the blood pooling on the sheets in a circular pattern around her buttocks, the sign that something was awry and that immediate medical attention was needed. However, in her altered state, she missed the blood altogether, blaming the moisture on the fluid from the amniotic sac, which had just broken.

Sierra focused on her breathing, like she had been taught, the pants coming out in loud gasps as her chest heaved repeatedly. Sweat trickled down her face, neck and breasts as her eyes clenched shut in the pain of childbirth. Somehow this didn't feel right...it hurt too much. _Someone help me...Keitaro...please help me!_

The blood continued to trickle out.

It took three long hours before the final push dislodged the screaming baby from her vagina. Sierra was relieved and relaxed for a moment, glad the contractions were finished. She cut the umbilical cord with a nearby kunai her husband kept on the nightstand and set the newborn in a bassinet beside the bed.

_Keitaro, our son is beautiful. He has your eyes. Come home and see him soon...please come home and see him soon._

The battle wasn't going well, truth told, and Keitaro could see that from the beginning. His brow furrowed he performed a chain of hand seals and bit his thumb and summoned his frog ally, Gamabunta.

"Gamabunta! I need your help stopping this kyuubi!"

With the frog's agreement he looked up at the fox, trying to think of a solution. The only thing that came to mind was sealing it before it killed everyone off completely and closed his eyes as he performed the seals. _Take this kyuubi and seal it in the newest born baby in the village. That baby will be our hero...our saviour and this demon's cage_. "In return take my life!"

He watched as the translucent summon prepared to do the deed. Keitaro closed his eyes. _I'm sorry Sierra...I know you'll understand. Look after our son for me..._Within minutes, the fox had disappeared from sight and the translucent creature turned it sights on the young Yondaime candidate.

_I was never good Sierra...at keeping my promises to you. I'm sorry._

A young woman ran through the woods, her long brown hair flowing behind her. _It's too soon for Gaara to come...it's not time! I might..._ She felt the pangs of childbirth torturing her body and she finally stopped, allowing herself to collapse and settle against a tree. _You're...so persistent Gaara...I...I hate you. Get out of me then! But I swear to God if you kill me doing so..._ She panted, resting her head in her hands and screamed as another contraction took over. "GAARAAAAAAA!"

It didn't take long for her insistent pushes to get the baby out of her, but it was in delivering the afterbirth that the kunai pierced her chest. It wasn't surprising that an enemy had found them; she had been screaming her head off. The blood trickled like a river down her chest and landed into the dirt below. _Gaara...you didn't take me...thank you...I will protect you...I MUST protect you!_ Another kunai pierced her heart and exploded from a seal and the blood fell all over the baby and the ground, the woman meeting her end quickly.

Gaara cried and cried. He was an easy target. The enemy grinned and aimed a kunai at the child before throwing it. A torrent of sand blocked it to protect the baby and went a step further to charge up from the ground and encase the enemy within it before crushing him and letting his corpse fall to the ground. The sand then wrapped itself around the baby, forming a sand egg with a few air holes so as to protect its young master.

The baby was crying. Its screams filled the air, having replaced Sierra's easily. Its wails demanded attention and love.

"Just...a moment...son..." Sierra choked out, a sharp pain suddenly radiating from her abdominal area. "Just give me a moment...please..."

She fell to her knees, bruising them. Screams escaped her mouth as blood trickled down her thighs. "What's happening? No! Keitaro! Keitaro please come home!"

The baby kept screaming.

Hitake Kakashi leapt from tree to tree. This in itself was nothing new. He did this almost on a daily basis, on his way to missions, or on his way home. It truly was the ultimate mode of transportation. Quick, silent and it was good for concealment. However, what wasn't normal was that in dawn's early morning light, up ahead, he could see a very large, brown...rock. At least...it looked like a rock. An egg shaped rock.

Kakashi approached with caution, his instinct telling him this was not just some rock. It seemed even stranger when he could hear crying from the rock...but of course rocks didn't cry...Kakashi dropped down beside the rock and peered at it from every angle, also keeping his eye out for enemies. The rock however, kept screaming.

Kakashi kicked the rock...and promptly hurt his foot. "Okay...this is a really weird egg-rock." Kakashi picked up the rock, surprised to find it light enough to carry and strapped it to his back. "I guess I'll get the Hokage's opinion on this one."

And like a small breeze passing through, in seconds Kakashi was gone.

Sierra fell forward, the blood loss making her feel weak as she lay on her stomach. "Hush little one...I'll be...right...there..." Her head nodded as she felt consciousness trying to slip away with her. Her bloody fingers moved weakly, forming three katakana characters before she succumbed to the darkness.

_"Keitaro! Keitaro!" The young blonde girl ran through the village, calling her friend who was missing. "Where are you Keitaro?" Sierra looked around, worry creasing her brow already at such a young age. "Keitaro! This is NOT funny!" Suddenly arms encircled her from behind and she let out a scream._

_"It's just me." The other blonde grinned, his puffy hair making him seem taller than her. He watches her whack his chest._

_"Don't DO stuff like that! Where were you anyway? You were supposed to meet me to go play!" Sierra placed her small fists on her hips._

_"Training." Keitaro says seriously. "I'm going to become Hokage after all."_

_"Not if you can't keep your promises to girls!" Sierra stuck her tongue out at him._

_A nineteen-year-old Sierra smiled now as she walked down the aisle, her long white wedding gown trailing behind her. The man that stood before her, waiting at the front of the temple was her beloved Keitaro. He'd finally had enough time off from missions to marry her and her heart fluttered at his handsome looks. His suit was perfect, his hair was just as unruly and spiky as it had ever been, his skin a nice, natural tanned color. Throughout the ceremony she willingly lost herself in his deep blue eyes and the kiss they shared sent electric sparks down her spine._

_"I'm pregnant!" She squealed at him, holding up the test results. "We did it! We're going to have a child!"_

_Keitaro's eyes lit up and he scooped Sierra up in a hug, twirling her around. "I'm glad."_

_"Keitaro, dinner's read-" Sierra stopped as she entered the living room, her stomach quite distended with the presence of the child within her. Two men were at the door, a parchment in their hands and Keitaro sighed sadly. He turned to her and hugged her tightly and brought his lips to hers. "Sierra, I have an emergency to attend to...I promise, I'll come back and our son will be born then. Sierra...I love you."_

_Keitaro...look after...Naruto..._

The newborn's screams remained the only thing to break the silence in the house.

Kakashi walked into the darkened building leaving the cool night air behind him at the door. He had the sand egg on his back and it seemed strange to all other ANBU he met along the way, but Kakashi just smiled and nodded to them as he passed, heading slowly up the stairs to the Hokage's offices.

Upon arrival he announced to the guarding ANBU that he had urgent business to attend to with Sandaime. The man sighed and told him to wait and then entered the chambers. Kakashi waited somewhat patiently after whipping out his favorite book.

The ANBU guard came back and nodded to Kakashi to go in and the book was tucked into his vest pocket before he entered the chambers. "Yo!"

Sandaime stared at the sand egg on Kakashi's back. "What's that?"

"Ah, I found it...it was crying."

"Crying?" Sandaime looked skeptical.

"Aa...you know...like a child...only I can't get it open." Kakashi set the egg down on the ground and knocked on it. "See?"

Sandaime sighed and went over and began attempting to open the sand egg, finding it far harder than it looked initially. Eventually he cracked it and the sand dissolved into a pile around and beneath a child, a newborn with fiery red hair. He reached down and picked up the child. "This must be Gaara of the Desert."

TO BE CONTINUED


	2. Routines Are Set, Arrangements Made

And here we have Chapter Two….so sad. Same observations to remember from last chapter. 

Many thanks to the beta mistress Erin, who's job it is to yell scream and bitch until I'm done.

Disclaimer: I haven't been able to afford Naruto yet. Maybe before I die…but it's highly  
doubtful. Sue me and all you'll get is my highlighter…sorry.

Volume I: Childhood

Chapter Two: Routines Are Set, Arrangements Made

By: Ammes

Sandaime sat calmly behind his desk, several scrolls spread out before him. "Please send in the next Genin group."

He watched as three children and their teacher entered, ready to receive their missions. "Your first mission is to go to locate the source of noise that's disturbing one of our non-shinobi residents. After that there's some garden weeding and dog-walking to be done. Three missions should be enough today. You're dismissed."

The three students left before groaning. "These are SO stupid!" A young girl complained.

By the time they arrived at the Uzumaki home, they had complained for fifteen minutes. The Genin ran inside, anxious to get the first lame mission over. The teacher that followed smiled a bit at their enthusiasm, following them inside leisurely. His reverie was broken by a loud scream from one of his female students. He approached cautiously. "What's the matter?"

The young Genin hurried out of the way. "Blood...so much blood..." One of them managed to whisper to him.

The teacher was suspicious as he entered, but then realized the woman on the ground was dead quickly and that the source of noise was a blonde haired newborn who's screams represented the last of the life in this household.

"Hokage-sama! Hokage-sama!" A young ninja ran inside the Hokage's chambers with a bundle wrapped in a baby blue blanket in his arms. "The neighbours that called us for that mission...we found the source of the noise."

Sandaime looked up. "Well?"

The man uncovered the infant's head, a small tuft of blonde hair peaked through.

"Uzumaki...and Sierra?"

The ninja sighed. "She passed away...possibly some time ago...it appeared though that she hadn't been attacked...probably a complication with the birth."

Sandaime sighed. It was days like these he hated, when he had to deal with different issues, each so important that they couldn't be ignored. A headache made it's appearance as he squinted at the sleeping bundle.

"There's more...he..." The ninja cut himself off and uncovered the rest of the infant. A seal was clearly visible on the baby's abdomen, the black lines forming a sun-like pattern.

"The kyuubi..." Sandaime said wisely and stood up. "Take the child to the hospital for now. Arrangements will have to be made for him, and the other orphan we found. I have a meeting with the council; we will be discussing these matters."

The ninja bowed and took the infant to the hospital after glaring at the innocent thing. How easy it would be to drop this thing right now...let it die for what it did.

Sandaime sighed. It truly was a long day.

The town was in an uproar. News had quickly spread that the child found that morning in the Uzumaki home contained the demon that had just killed the kin of many villagers. Sandaime could barely contain the headache that had made its appearance awhile ago and just kept getting worse. He had gone to the home with a doctor, to make sure that Konoha's security wasn't lax. In fact, Sierra had bled out and died from the birth, leaving three characters with her blood which spelled 'na' 'ru' 'to'. Little Uzumaki Naruto, as Sandaime supposed she was naming him, had no idea what was in store for him in the future.

He stepped out onto a platform to face the rioting crowd. "Please settle down."

"Get rid of the demon!"

"Let us kill him!"

"Yeah, kill him!" The villagers chorused predictably.

Sandaime raised a hand to quiet them. "He is not to be harmed. He will live in this village like any other child. However, he is not to know that the kyuubi is sealed within him, nor are you to tell any of your own children! This ends with this generation. Those who go against mine and the council's decree will face serious penalty."

"He'll kill us! Our children! How can you let that monster live!" A woman shouted.

"Because the child is not the monster." Sandaime responded wisely. "His name is Uzumaki Naruto. Child of Yondaime!"

The letter that was sent in response to the Hokage's news surprised him. We don't want the demon. He read. 'If you want to deal with him, you deal with it. However if you use him to attack us, you'll be sorry. He's now your problem, not ours. Should you try to send him home to the Sand Country, he will be annihilated upon entry. It is our opinion that he should be disposed of, however if you're willing to handle a demon, then consider it just our piece of advice. Thank you for contacting us promptly about the matter.' Sandaime sighed.

Their problem indeed. Oh well...what's one more demon child?

The shinobi gathered at the main building for the briefing. Rumours had spread that it was about the demon children that plagued the village. The shinobi filed and stood before the platform.

Sandaime emerged and began his speech. "Our village is blessed. We have always taken care of our residents, that is how a village operates. We have a new resident as well as one that belongs here who is in dire need of care. The council and I are searching for volunteers to look after one or both children."

There wasn't a sound from any of the shinobi.

"I don't want to turn this into a mission." Sandaime advised.

No one stepped forward.

Sandaime's head hurt. Yes, it was a long lifetime. "It will be assigned as a mission then. That is all. Dismissed!"

And with a flurry of wind, the shinobi disappeared.

The apartment was quiet. Very quiet. Three years had passed since he had been born. His eyes looked around the room, catching the mattress that made up his bed, the box of crayons in the corner, along with some paper, a few scrolls, an empty ramen packet and his pajamas. The little boy's arms tightened over the stuffed animal in his arms. The caregiver would come soon...he hated him.

There's a soft knock at the door and the blonde child jumps a bit. The door opens anyway and a man dressed in black and seeming very intimidating to Naruto's small form stood in the doorway. He came in and set a bag down, never missing his chance to glare at the three year old. Naruto felt the shiver make it's way down his spine.

Somehow he knew this man hated him.

The glare deepened as the man took out some food and cut it up before putting it on the floor, akin to feeding a troublesome pet. Naruto moved to approach and the man's glare intensified. "Stay back!"

The child startled and cowered. The man smirked with satisfaction. "You just stay back...don't ever come near me!"

The boy whimpered.

"Just shut up!" The man's glare was back as he put some milk in a small refrigerator and washed dishes.

While his back was turned on the food, Naruto crawled over quietly to eat. When the man turned around again he was startled. "Get away from there demon child, I'm still here!"

Naruto looked up at him innocently, munching on an apple piece.

The man shuddered. "Don't look at me either!"

Naruto's eyes went back to the floor and the man made a show to avoid him as he turned and left, slamming the door shut behind him, ready to go demand a new job. Fox feeder sucked, and the kid could probably kill him...it wasn't worth the risk.

This man was the twenty-first to give up. Naruto would have known that if he knew how to count.

These demon kids have tempers and bloodlust. You can see it in their eyes. Kurenai could remember the advice from her teacher as she walked to the room where Gaara was kept. Bloodlust...

Swallowing nervously, Kurenai opened the door slowly and saw a sight that surprised her to no end. The cutest little child was curled up to a teddy bear in bed, napping. His red hair was the only thing distinctive about him. Kurenai couldn't suppress the smile as she entered with some food for Gaara and made preparations quietly.

While washing the dishes, Gaara had appeared at her side and was watching her. When she reached for a towel, she jumped when she saw the toddler beside her. "Hello Gaara." She gave him a weak smile.

Gaara looked up at her somewhat curiously. He'd never been able to sneak up on a caretaker before, granted she was new, but still...he watched her perplexed.

Kurenai smiles a bit more and pats him on the head gently. "There's some food at the table for you."

Gaara felt the smile appear on his face awkwardly and he went to eat. Perhaps Kurenai wasn't so bad, since she hadn't seemed upset with him like most were.

If only he knew what he'd done...

Gaara liked his sand. His sand was his friend. He could play all kinds of games with it and when it got too cold he could burrow in it and be warm. The sand also listened to him. He was getting better and better and making the sand cover things without physically moving it.

After Kurenai there were three more caretakers before the fool showed up. When the fool arrived, Gaara was napping. The fool had smiled and figured everything was to plan. He slowly approached Gaara, readying a kunai before standing above him. Gaara, who was actually awake, ignored the man, since no one ever really did anything with him before or after Kurenai.

The man tried to stab him and the sand protected him. Gaara snapped his eyes open and glared at the man. His anger took over and he made the sand wrap around the man.

The fool panicked, screaming and to make him quiet, Gaara sqeezed the sand. However, he squeezed too hard...the screams stopped but the blood came.

Gaara liked the blood...it was red.

Red was Gaara's favourite colour.

The boredom was too much sometimes. The blonde child rocked back and forth in place as he hugged his stuffed fox to his chest. Someone had brought that to him one day, seeming to think it was funny, although Naruto didn't know why.

He looked to the corner where his pet ghost lived and struck up conversation, listening to the ghost's wild tales of haunting people for revenge. Naruto smiled as he listened and hummed a little bit. Revenge huh? Maybe someday...someday he'd get revenge on all those people who looked at him mean. "Can you go haunt people for me?" He asked childishly.

Unfortunately the ghost chose then to disappear, citing previous engagement as the reason.

And Naruto was left alone.

TO BE CONTINUED


End file.
